Court Gives Order That Copies of Verdicts Be Presented To Accused Senior Derg Officials

AddiS Ababa, April 29(ENA)-- The Federal High Court has ordered that copies of verdict on charges filed against former Derg senior government officials, including Colonel Mengistu Haile-Mariam, be presented to the defendants.

The Court's First Criminal Bench gave the order on Tuesday following an appeal made by the defendants, who are accused of genocide and crime against humanity, that they did not receive copies of the verdict on charges filed against them.

The copies of the verdict were handed over on Tuesday to former Prime Minister, Fikre-Silassie Wogderess and former Vice President, Colonel Fisseha Desta, including two other former senior Derg officials.

The court is adjourned until July 29 2003.

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